Love's Abundant Harvest (27 page)

“That's good news, although I won't have a table of food laid out come lunchtime.”
This was one of the many times
he missed having a wife by his side to do what normal
couples did, especially on a day like today. Hospitality was important and expected,
but he couldn't provide what he didn't have.

Caleb put a hand on his shoulder. “Everyone understands.”

Manny decided not to worry about it and settled in to enjoy the ride to the Troyers'.
Once they got there, they set right in to gather the hay into small bales for easy
handling. The square bale was the easiest for stacking. Some of the dried grass
that was missed was gathered by a couple of young men on horseback mower.

Manny looked up to see what time of day it was. Not time for lunch, but the women
were bringing their goods and starting to set up the tables. He glanced at Caleb,
who was keeping an eye out to see that the blade was on line so no grass was lost
and all could be used for feed.

“So I'm getting off easy?” Manny asked. “That's good, because I also didn't clean
up the
haus
before I left.” He walked alongside Caleb's flatbed.

“
Jah
, I told 'em I didn't want to see the inside of your place. ‘It's more like a
bachelor's pad' is what I said.” Caleb grinned and made a turn for the barn.

“Most Amish probably don't even know what that is.” Manny kept his place in decent
shape, but it was Emma who made it shine, he thought, as he watched her walking toward
him. Closer still was Lucy.

“Good morning, Sunshine.” He knew maybe he shouldn't have been so bold, but that
was how she made him feel.

She smiled slowly and kept walking. “I hear we'll all be at your place next.” Her
breath was labored, causing him concern, but she didn't seem worried. Her cheeks
were
rosy, and her smile showed contentment—both things good to see. But she still
didn't seem herself. If only the babes would come quickly, perhaps things would be
as they once were.

Emma joined them. “Early lunch this afternoon, due to you.” She grinned and pecked
him on the cheek. “And
you
”—she pointed at Lucy—“will be sitting a lot and helping
only a little if I have anything to say about it.”

“There's no denying it at this point. I'm not good for much these days.” Lucy stuck
out her bottom lip, showing her displeasure. “But I'm not complaining. I'm just glad
the weather cooled a little. The hot flashes have been ex
haus
ting this summer.”

“It's the same as last summer, but you weren't carrying around two little ones then.”
Emma pulled her away, and Lucy gave Manny a slight grin. And that was all he needed,
at least for the moment.

He was on his way to the barn to help Caleb with the work horses but kept his eye
on Lucy. He didn't want her to strain herself helping with the lunch spread. Homemade
root beer was kept cold in large tin buckets. The tables were loaded with doughnuts,
canned meat, cheese, bread, and vegetables. As the men grew closer, Minister Eben
said the prayer, and the food was passed around.

Lucy gave Manny quick glances as they ate. He wondered what was on her mind, hoping
it was something favorable. He wanted nothing more than to share their walks and
talks that had become so frequent. Fannie touched her arm. They talked for a moment
and then went about clearing tables and starting the cleanup. Manny rode up next
to her in Caleb's buggy as she walked by.

“Need a lift?” He felt sort of English the way he said it,
and when she nodded, he
stopped on a dime and helped her up and into the buggy. “What were you doing walking?”
he teased, though he was serious.

“Waiting for you to give me a ride.” She leaned back in the seat and sighed. “I can't
walk but a few steps these days, and my feet swell something awful.”

“Then I'll be your chauffeur for the time being.” Not wanting to give her a chance
to say no, he quickly changed the subject. “Did you make whoopee pie?” He'd seen
her carrying one, so he took a guess.

“How did you know?” She faced him and narrowed her eyes, suspicious of his question.

“Yours is honestly the best I've had.”

“You men know how to get a woman to cook for you.” She lifted one side of her mouth
with a small smile, knowing it was one of the few dishes she made well. Manny noticed
her scar was lighter than ever and wondered why. Maybe it was internal as well as
physical. Whatever the change, it was one of many that he had gone through with her.
The only thing that hadn't changed was how he felt about her, and that wouldn't stop,
no matter what she looked like or how she acted.

“What are you thinking about?” She'd been watching him, and he was taken off guard.
He kept his eyes on the road even though he didn't need to because they were in a
procession of buggies, hay mowers, and flatbeds.

“I was just wondering what you were thinking,” Manny told her.

“I'm thinking I'm ready to have these babies. I don't expect you to understand, and
I might not be the best person to be around right now, but it's all I can do to
not
either break down crying or laugh hysterically.” She sighed. “I also didn't want
my
mamm
to go.”

“Your
daed
needs her now. And I'm here to help, along with all the girls. I might
understand better than you think.” He hadn't talked about Glenda since she died,
and he didn't want to talk about her now, but it might help Lucy understand that
he could be more supportive than she was letting him be.

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You know of my wife, Glenda.” Saying her name made him relive more than he wanted
to, but he wanted to make this personal for Lucy's sake.

Lucy hesitated, maybe because she was surprised. “
Jah
, although I don't think I ever
met her.”

“She got sick not long after you came. Glenda didn't have an easy pregnancy.” He
was gentle with his words, choosing them carefully so as not to alarm Lucy but also
let her know what he went through with Glenda to show her that he knew how hard it
could be. Hard but also very good. “And we're praying for your health, and for big,
healthy babies. With
Gott
in it, we've done all we can. Now we just wait and keep
praying.”

He slowly turned to her, looking at her expression to see if there was any comfort
in what he'd said. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she looked forward, not trying
to stop them.

“Did I upset you?” He put his hand on hers and slowed to give her a moment. They
were almost to his place.

“
Nee. Danke
, Manny.” She wiped her tears with a hanky and then leaned over. The gentle
kiss she placed on his cheek made him blush from his toes to the top of his head.

Just as they arrived and he had helped Lucy out of the
buggy, a blood-curdling scream
came from the meadow. Manny jumped and followed the cry to where two men were standing
by Peter looking at Caleb.

One of Caleb's hands cradled the other, which was covered with blood.

“What is it?” Manny expected to see a foot caught in the blades, but a different
sight met his eyes. Caleb's finger was gone. Manny pulled out a handkerchief and
wrapped it over what was left of the finger. It did no good; there was too much blood.

Manny scanned the area and found what was left of the finger. He wrapped it in another
handkerchief and then he and four other men helped Caleb onto a flatbed covered with
hay, and then rode off the field. When they pulled up on the dirt path, a buggy waited
for them. Luke, who had the fastest horse around, told them to bring Caleb over to
his buggy.

Before they could take off for town, Jake, the owner of the mower, rushed over. “Let
me take a look.” He plopped the finger into a can with kerosene. Then Jake started
to treat Caleb's injured hand. “This might sting a little.”

Caleb braced himself.

Manny looked for Emma and saw her standing with a group of Caleb's relatives who
were consoling her.

“How did that happen?” Fannie took Lucy's hand as she came over with some other women
who had stopped preparing snacks and drinks to observe the accident.

“It's the blades on that mower.” Jake offered the explanation once he made sure
Caleb's family wasn't around.

“But how? I could see a foot getting cut, but this was his hand.” Fannie glanced
over at Lucy and frowned.

“He must have been grabbing for something. A big rock
or a sturdy branch can stop
the blades from spinning.” He shook his head.

“He'll be all right if he goes to that same doctor Lucy had,” Fannie chimed in. “Someone
should get him here.” Fannie turned away and was soon walking toward her buggy.

“Luke's going to take him to Pomerene.” Manny caught up with her, which wasn't easy
with her long legs keeping in stride. “Did you see his finger?”

“A glimpse, the tissue is gone, down to the bone.” Her composure was so professional
it took him by surprise.

“Do you think it can be saved?”

“It looks pretty bad, but I'm sure the doctors at Pomerene understand the importance
of a man's hand to be able to work his farm.”

“Don't you think so, Lucy?” Fannie stopped short when she didn't see Lucy and scanned
the area.

“Where is she?

Manny stood and looked around. “No sign of her.”

They split up, but still nothing, until he saw her sitting in his buggy. He walked
over to her. “What are you doing in here? Are you sick?”

She shook her head. “
Nee
.” She wiped sweat from her forehead. “I think the babies
are coming.”

L
ucy groaned in pain. She'd never known such misery. The only positive she could
think of was that the babies would be healthy; she'd prayed so long for a babe that
Gott
simply had to grant her petition. She opened her eyes and then shut them again,
wincing through the sharp pricks that ran down her belly. Her body contracted and
released before repeating. Her strength ebbed away.

A cold cloth made her sigh, but within seconds it was warm as biscuits from the oven.
The room seemed as hot as a kitchen after cooking lunch, but she was in a bedroom
and a bed—whose, she didn't know.

“Squeeze my hand.” A man's voice forced her to open her eyes. At one time she would
have protested, but all she cared about was birthing healthy babies.

“Manny . . . is he here?” Her voice was weak and just above a whisper.

“He's in the kitchen. Would you like him to come in?” The hand moved away, and Lucy
worried he was fetching Manny.

“
Jah
, but he shouldn't.”

“It's fine if you'd like him here.”

Ahh, yes. This was the city doctor. “It's not proper.” Her eyes fluttered, and she
wished she could sleep.

“Whatever you're comfortable with. It does create a bond, which is why I suggest
it. Give it some thought.”
He walked away, and panic gripped her.
What if he didn't
come back?

Why, she didn't know, but her concern did lift with the arrival of a secular doctor
to deliver her child. It would be one thing for a husband to be there for the birth,
but another for Manny to observe, because they weren't married. Remorse took over,
and she cursed herself for her waiting to marry. She had waited too long, letting
her fears control her, and look where she was now, a widow with no
daed
for her babies.

She couldn't think straight as to why she'd become so scared of remarriage. After
living with Sam, she'd been terrified more times than not. Losing that stronghold
was good, now that it finally happened.

“Did I fall asleep?” Unheard of. Her water had broken, and that was the last she
remembered. Then fuzzy images came to her, and she remembered sleeping and the pain
dissipating.

Fannie touched her shoulder. “A small cat nap when the babes let up.” Her face glowed.
“You're finally gonna have those babies.”

“Stubborn ones. Must take after their Aunt Fannie.” A prickle zipped around her stomach.
“Guess I shouldn't talk that way; they must be partial to you.” Just seeing Fannie's
face gave her courage, but still she wished it was Manny by her side.

Tears pricked Lucy's eyes. She wiped them away and kept her eyes closed.

“The pain getting worse?”
Mammi
asked, but she sounded much like Lucy's
mamm,
and
more remorse stifled her. Only a few more days, and her
mamm
could have
been here
for this. Why was it all such a mess, so unlike what it should be?